Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The Galápagos archipelago is world-renowned for its unique and fearless wildlife- much of which was inspiration for Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection.

Islands

The landscape of the islands is relatively barren and volcanic, but beautiful nonetheless. The highest mountain amongst the islands is Volcán Wolf on Isla Isabela, 1707 m (5600ft) high. The Galápagos were claimed by newly-independent Ecuador in 1832, a mere three years before Darwin’s visit on the Beagle. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the islands were inhabited by very few settlers and were used as a penal colony, the last closing in 1959 when the islands were declared a national park. Strict controls on tourist access are maintained in an effort to protect the natural habitats and all visitors must be accompanied by a national park-certified naturalist tour guide.

Climate

The Galapagos Islands have a highly variable climate, as does Ecuador’s mainland. There are two seasons in the islands: the hot/rainy season, from December to June, when humidity is high and average temperatures are in the 80s F (26°-30° C). There may be occasional showers, but the days are generally warm and sunny.

Colorful Crab

From June to November, you can expect cool winds, occasionally bringing with them a light misty-type drizzle called “garúa.” Temperatures average in the 70s F (20°-24° C) during the day and lower at night.

Each month brings unique climate variations and wildlife viewing opportunities. Peak season for naturalist tours is typically December through May when the seas are the calmest and the weather the warmest. However summer months June, July and August are also very popular as the animals are more active. September through November is typically low season when most boats will leave the islands for dry dock. For divers peak season is from July – November when whale sharks can be found at Wolf & Darwin.

How to get there

Visiting the Galapagos is not cheap, owing to travel restrictions and the remote nature of the archipelago. The only way to get in the islands from the main land is by plane from Guayaquil or Quito airports. Flights travel to the Galapagos in the morning and return in the afternoon, typically requiring a forced overnight on the continent in each direction.

By plane

Diving and Exploring

From an aircraft flying out of Baltra Island (on the right) and the Santa Cruz(on the left), the Itabaca Channel is the waterway in the middle where water taxis take people in between and to waiting boats off shore waiting for multi day cruises. Flights to the Galapagos are relatively easy to arrange and depart from Quito and Guayaquil on a daily basis for the Isla Baltra Airport, about two hours by public transport from Puerto Ayora, the main settlement of the Galapagos, on the central island of Santa Cruz. There are also daily flights to San Cristóbal. The airport is a 20 minute walk from the center of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

By boat

Private yachts can arrive into any of the 5 ports in Galapagos while in transit and remain at that port for a maximum of 21 days. Boats wishing to visit more than one site or cruise the islands may do so but only by special permit from the national park and by working with a licensed yacht agency. There are cargo boats that travel to the Galapagos each week. However these boats are not allowed to take travelers on board.

Excursions

Bueno Maria Travel – 2 Galapagos cruise boats, that offer from 4 up to 15 days cruises in the Galapagos , they are 100% Galapagos locals and have been offering Galapagos tours since the early 1960´s.

Galapagos Sailing – Connects you directly with the ship owners. It displays constantly updated last minute deals (within 90 days of the sailing date) with a variety of ships. Find your ideal cruise, and contact the owner directly for bookings or for further questions. Negotiate prices directly with the ship owner.

Fargona Cruises – 3 Galapagos cruises, Millennium, Estrella de Mar I and II, with 4 to 8 days itinerary in Galapagos islands. Prices start at $150 per day.

The Waters Tours – Good rates for Galapagos cruises on a yacht (First Class) with 5, 6, and even 7 days itinerary in Galapagos Islands.

Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Galapagos_Islands

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